Like passenger cars, semi-trucks, i.e., highway tractors for pulling semi-trailers, typically require shipping from their places of manufacture to their destinations, e.g. distribution centers or dealers. Passenger automobiles are typically shipped long distances utilizing specially-designed railcars or auto racks, as discussed below. Passenger cars also are shipped on highway trailers. Because of their large size, semi-trucks are difficult to transport. Many semi-trucks can be too large and heavy to transport cost-effectively on highway trailers. The problem of transporting semi-trucks has become particularly acute as production of some trucks for U.S. customers has shifted to Mexico, increasing the distances between the place of manufacture and the place of delivery.
Semi-trucks are typically transported on highways or other roadways in a piggy back manner, wherein one mule truck pulls two or three piggy back trucks. In a typical piggy back arrangement, the front end of a first piggy back truck rests on the rear end of the mule truck. The front ends of the second and third piggy back trucks rest on the rear ends of the first and second piggy back trucks, respectively. Dollies may be used to connect the first piggy back truck to the mule truck and to interconnect the piggy back trucks.
In order to transport semi-trucks in this manner, the semi-trucks must be arranged within dimensional constraints required by federal, state, and/or local regulatory agencies. For example, the total maximum allowable length from bumper to bumper for a mule pulling piggy back trucks is usually 75 feet on designated truck routes and 55 feet on other routes. The length constraints usually limit the maximum number of semi-trucks that can be transported in a piggy back arrangement to three or four, including the mule truck. Transporting semi-trucks in this way can be labor intensive, in that a driver is required for each mule truck.
The maximum allowable height of the mule with piggy back trucks is usually 13.5 feet on designated truck routes. In order to avoid exceeding the maximum allowable clearance height, the piggy back trucks may require partial disassembly for transportation. For example, the exhaust stacks and front wheels are often removed. Drive shafts may also be removed. Axles of piggy back trucks may need to be chained to prevent unwanted rotation during transportation. These steps can be time consuming and costly. For trucks having tall cabs, disassembly may be very difficult if not impossible.
Transporting the trucks in a piggy back manner is also disadvantageous because the trucks are exposed to the elements and may arrive at the place of delivery coated in dust or dirt, or even with cracked windshields and scratched or otherwise marred finishes. Damaged trucks may then require restoration to their original condition once delivered, which can involve time-consuming and costly cleaning and/or repairing. In addition, trucks transported in a piggy back manner may be exposed to vandalism and theft.
In an alternative that has been used in the past, some semi-trucks have been shipped on flat cars, such as 90 foot long flat cars. Shipping trucks on flat cars can be undesirable because the flat cars do not have structures enclosing the semi-trucks, thus leaving the trucks exposed to the elements, potential damage, and/or vandalism.
Auto rack cars have proven to be useful in transporting automobiles from the place of manufacture to distribution centers or dealers. Transporting passenger automobiles in enclosed auto rack railway cars can help reduce transportation costs because large quantities of vehicles can be shipped. Auto rack cars, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,765,486, 5,782,187, and 5,657,698, typically have a first deck on the floor of the railway car and one or more elevated decks. Auto rack cars also are typically enclosed to prevent vandalism and theft and to deliver the automobiles in good condition. However, semi-trucks will not fit on typical auto rack cars because the vertical clearances between the decks are not sufficient, and the horizontal clearances of the interior may also be insufficient. Auto racks are typically designed with low internal clearances for passenger automobiles that will not accommodate semi-trucks.
The elevated decks may not simply be removed from the interior of an auto rack car in order to adapt them for carrying semi-trucks. The elevated decks in an auto rack car typically are structural members. Without an elevated deck to provide support, sidewalls of an auto rack car may tend to rack or skew sideways. In addition, the end doors of typical auto rack railway cars are usually placed in close proximity to the end of the railway car in order to maximize the number of automobiles that may be transported. When radial end doors are moved into their open positions, they typically are partially recessed against the sidewalls of the auto rack car while remaining within required external clearances. This can require reduced horizontal clearances at ends of the auto rack car, i.e. a narrower opening to the railcar interior. The reduced horizontal clearances are undesirable for transporting semi-trucks, which are generally wider than passenger automobiles.
It has also been known to transport mobile homes, camper trailers, and other recreational vehicles and equipment on modified flat cars. One such flat car was produced in the past by Whitehead & Kales. The Whitehead & Kales car includes a roof and side panels. However, the side panels do not form a complete enclosure for the sides. In addition, the Whitehead & Kales car does not include end doors.
Thus, there remains a need for an improved railway car capable of carrying semi-trucks.